Honorable home minister and an honorable adviser to the PM (also happened to be the personal physician of the PM) raised hoopla, although transient, by raising a very serious controversy – "poisoning of Sheikh Hasina while incarcerated".
Well, in the careless utterances (or mutterings) of many of our great leaders' vagaries abound. I would have given the whole episode a rather farcical pass. But the fact that the question was raised by the personal physician (I suppose he is competent and more of a doctor than a politician) of a sitting PM, it becomes an issue of national importance and of national security. This needs to be delved further, and if true, proper medical and legal intervention is in order.
I am privy only to the information percolated through the media. There was a lot of hue and cry as to the serious nature of Sheikh Hasina's hearing. At the same time, it was also reported that she was suffering from skin allergies (described as "swellings" in news papers). Well, the causes of such skin lesions are myriad. Only a good history (by a competent physician) and few laboratory tests often can reveal the real etiology. Even a year later, history and laboratory evaluation can be obtained with a reasonable accuracy for diagnosis. However, it is a medical fact that in a large number of patients, the exact cause of such skin problems remains elusive for ever. I wonder, whether the honorable adviser cum personal physician did his diligence as a physician before opening his mouth to the public.
It is true that the patient was allowed to travel to the United States after the alleged poisoning. If there was an iota of question in the mind of the honorable advisor cum personal physician, it was his professional duty to communicate the issue, at least, privately to the patient, who in turn could have discussed that with her physicians in the United States. And evaluation of chronic poisoning would have been thorough and unfettered in the United States.
I am an allergist/immunologist. I can talk volumes about her skin swellings, but it is not my forte to opine about possible chronic poisoning. But given the fact that the patient herself is doing great and has not uttered a single word vis-à-vis "poisoning", I am inclined to believe that the whole "poisoning saga" is nothing more than another sorry political twist by a few kowtowing pets!
But, if this is true, the Prime Minister should definitely check in with a competent physician for the country needs her service until her term expires.
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